Well fluid measurement



B. D., 3 S l wl 9 E al Dn e

WELL FLUID MEASUREMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenlors E. M. Knqson M H. McKmseL B. M. KlNGSTON ETAL WELL FLUID MEASUREMENT June 21,

Filed May 2Q. 1946 Patented June 21, 1949 -impfen stares are WELL FLUID MEASUREMENT Benson M. Kingston, Breckenridge, and Mark H.

McKinsey, Midland, Tex., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, oi one-half to Shell Development Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware, and one-hal! to The independent-Eastern .Torpedo Company, Breckenridge, Tex., a corporation of Ohio Application Mey zo, 194s, serial No. 671,044

for makingliq uid iiow and level measurements in oil andgaswellsf In exploiting and treating petroleum wells it is y essential to obtain accurate information as to the nature of the fluids standing therein, the points Claims. (Ci. 'Z3-151) where uids may enter or leave the borehole, the

flow-rates of the well fluids, the levels of interfacial planes between different well fluids, the permeabilities of various layers traversed by a well, etc.

In making these measurements, use has been often made of differences in the electric conductivity of electrolytic liquids, such as acids or brines, and of non-electrolytic liquids, such as mineral oil. By immersing two spaced electrodes in a well iiuid, and passing an electric current therebetween, the nature of the iiuid surrounding the electrodes can be readilydetermined from the resistance of said iiuid to electric current flow. In particular, the interface between an.

electrolyte and a non-e1ectrolyte may be located by observing the abrupt change of current in the circuit of the electrodes when the electrodes pass from an electrolytic to a non-electrolytic phase.

Certain difficulties are however encountered in supplying the electrodes with suitable current,

and in conveying to the indicating or recording instruments at the surface the desired indications or signals from the electrodes.

Thus, supplying the electrodes with a direct or.

alternatingcurrent from the surface requires Aa well insulated conductor cable and a relatively elaborate system of commutator connections bevtween the conductor on the reel and the indicating or recording apparatus.

Leakage effects occurring when passing low tension signals through a long cable tend furthermore to detract from theV accuracy of the measurements.

If the electrodes are supplied with current from a source such as a dry cell battery lower-ed into the well together with the electrodes, the resulting direct current intensities and signals are necessarily very weak, and are subject to further cable leakage losses. Direct current signals are moreover not readily subject to amplification prior to registering or recording.

It istherefore an object of this invention to provide a system whereby fluid conditions in a well may be determined by meartis/ofjectredes adapted to be lowered thereinto ogether with a source of direct current and with means for causing the direct current flowing between said electrodes upon immersion in an electrolyte to produce a high tension alternating or oscillating current, said means comprising, for example, an electronic oscillator circuit or a spark coil arrangement, as described hereinbelow with regard to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

It is also an' object of this invention to provide for the abovepurpose a system wherein signals from the detecting electrodes are transmitted to the surface as electromagnetic waves produced by the interruptions of the current flowing between the electrodes.

netic wave signals from the electrodes are transmitted to the surface by means ofthe cable supporting the electrodes and serving as a radiating or transmitting antenna, said signals being inductively picked up by the receiving and indicating apparatus at the surface, thus eliminating the necessity of commutators or other direct electrical connectionsbetween the cable and the indicating apparatus.

It is in general an object of this invention to provide a system for determining the nature, level and flow rate of well iluids, for surveying the permeability of-the strata traversed by a well, and for detecting the points of entry of extraneous liquids into a well.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the type outlined above, to be used in combination with suitably formed tubing members, likewise forming a part of this invention, for determining and indicating at the surface the exact level of an acid chargeintroduced into a well for treatment purposes; wherethe claims, will be understood from the following description taken with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic .cross-section view of an embodiment ot the present electrode-carrying detector.

Fig. 2 is a diagram or the electric circuit of the present detector. l

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the well installations of the present system.

Fig. 3A is a chart showing data obtained andV plotted by means of the present system. 4 Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams o! the lower end of the present detector modified by external attachments'thereto.

Fig.' 6 is a diagram of well installations used in acid treating a well by means oi' a preferred embodiment of the present system..

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic cross-section viewA taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 illustrates an alternative of constructing and using the device of the'present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the detector or exploratory i el ement of thnp'sfent invention comprises a metallic housing I I firmly clamped by any desired means, such as shown at 5, to a supporting insulating cable 3 on which the housing is lowered into the well. The housing Il may have `a length such as from 3 to 5 feet or more. and

a diameter such as from 1 to 2 inches or more. The cable 3 comprises an insulated conductor l electrically connected within the housing to a connector member 1 passing through a iluid tight insulating upper bushing 3. The member 1 is in turn electrically connected to a terminal of a transmitting or oscillatory circuit held vin a compartment i5.

The operating current for the transmitting circuit is supplied by connecting thereto one of the.

the Battery i'l-2B is connected to the electrode 2i,

while the other terminal is connected to a vibrator 29 of a spark coil arrangement held in compartment i 5. known fashion, by an induction coil comprising a core 3| ,.a low-tension primary winding 33 and a high-tension secondary winding 35.

One of the terminals of the primary winding 33 is, connected to a contact point l1 associated with the vibrator 29. The other terminal of the primary winding is grounded to the housing il of the detector. It will thus be seen that the electrode 2| and housing Il form two electrodes connected to the circuit of the battery l'l-Z and separated from each other by the liquid entering the lower part of the housing through the openings The secondary winding 35 and the spark gap 38 connected across it form a'sending circuit connected to the conductor l oi the supporting cable 3, which serves as a transmitting antenna.

Although the physical and electrical constants of the spark gap circuit may be varied between wide limits to suit particular operating conditions, the following may be used as an illustrative example:

The vibrator 23 is actuated, in well The current supply source may consist of six dry-cells of 1.5 volts each. The primary winding may consist of about 700 turns of No. 26, and the f/5 it f 24 secondary winding oi about 8000 turns of No. 33 B. and S. gage copper wire.

Fig. 3 shows the housing Il lowered into a well Hthrough the removable head 43 of a casing i5 extending into the well to a desired depth. The cable 3 passes through a lubricator device i1' and is wound on a reel 49. A depth meter 5I indicates the exact level of the housing Il within the well.

A pipe 53, provided with a flow meter 55` and a pressure gage 51, connects the casing to a pun-sp 59, whereby liquid of any desired type may be pumped into the well.

The well is shown as traversing layers Bi and 63, which may be layers of different permeability and porosity characteristics, or water and oil bearing layers.

In using the system of the present invention for purposes of a permeability survey, such as are often carried out before acidizing wells, the borehole 4I is ilrst lled with an electrolytic liquid, such as brine, to a desired level 66 preferably above the top permeable zone 8i. I'he well space above the electrolyte is then lled with a nonelectrolytic liquid, such as oil, and the housing or sending device Il is lowered until it contacts the electrolyte.

It will be seen from E lgghlhgpnuthat as long as the present detector is immersed in oil, no current flows in its electrical circuit, the electrode 2i beinginsulated from the housing ii. Upon reaching the level 66, howeveigthe electrolytic liquid fills the space between the electrode 2l and the walls of housing I I, thus permitting a current to iiow in the circuit of the primary winding 33.

t if wifi' The action of the vibrator 23 serves, in well known y fashion, to interrupt periodically this direct current, thus producing a high tension interrupted or alternating current in the circuit of the secondary winding 35. The points of the spark gap 38 are adjusted so that when the voltage inthe secondary circuit reaches or approaches its peak, a spark discharge takes place therebetween. This spark discharge causes the conductor i of cable 3, to radiate an electromagnetic wave, thereby serving as a sending or transmitting antenna.

This electromagnetic radiation is picked up by a receiving antenna 65, inductively coupled to the cable 3 at the surface. and is relayed, if desired after suitable amplification in unit 6T, to an indicating device B9, which may be of any desired type, such for example as an auditory device, a recorder, etc.

As the detector reaches the interface 66, and contact of the electrode 2i with the electrolyte is indicated by the response of the device 69, the pump 59 is started to supply further amounts of oil to the Well il, thereby further depressing the interface 66.

The cable 3 is at the same time unwound from the reel 49 to follow the receding interface' with the detector. It will be seen that the construction of the present detector permits it to follow the interface with great accuracy.

Thus if the rate of descent of the detector is slower than that of the interface, the detector finds itself again immersed solely in the oil phase, no current passes through the liquid between the electrode 2i and the housing Il, no electrical oscillations are transmitted through the cable 3, and the operator is informed of this csxgndition by the lack of response 0f the indicator If the rate of descent of the detector is faster than that of the interface, the detector finds itself immersed solely in the electrolytic phase.

TAN.

"esp

ff. fea/atei in? i In this case, the electrolyte. entering the upper portion of the housing through openings 8, causes a short circuit between the connector 1 and the housing ii, as indicated at 1A inging., 2. The electromagnetic oscillations transmitted l "i'fhrough the cable to the indicator 69 are thereaccuracy dependent on the spacing between elec l trode 2i and connector that is within approximately 3 feet.

An arrangement alternative to that described if? trated in Fig. 8.

g5-#the interface may be plotted graphically, as ,if shown in Fiwhieh gives the operator a use- Detector elements iiil and 2id similar in construction and Voperation to that described in Fi g*l are axially connected to each-other by e same purpose, is ilius' i3 and 1B in vEigi. The bucket ii is preferably made o a mate'i'al such as rubber or rubberized canvas, and has a diameter closely iitting the walls of the borehole. When the device Ii is moved adjacent asalt water bearing layer. the scooping action of the bucket results in filling the space around the elec'grcde ii with brine,

whereby a distinctive signal is transmitted to the surface.

Fig. 6 shows the preferred application of the device hereinabove described in combination with a special tubing arrangement likewise forming rieans of a spacing element |05, having any desired length and consisting, for example, of

an insulated conductor cable or of a rigid tubular element enclosing such cable to establish electrical communication between the two elements.

it will be readily seen that so long as the electrolyte rises to a level such as 250, only the lower detector unit will emit a signal. When, however, the electrolyte level rises to 150, the upper detector unit will likewise start operating, thus adding its signal to that of the lower unit, and varying the intensity, or the frequency, or both, of the signal received at the surface.

The pump i9 is operated in such a manner as to establish a constant or fixed pumping rate.. As the interface is depressed, its rate of descent decreases as it passes each consecutive permeable zone, such as zones 6i and 63, said rate of "V said zones.

By coordinating the indications of the depth meter 5i with those of the indicator 69, which can be done either manually or automatically by electrically connecting said instruments, for example, by means of wires 5i),` the rate of fall of ful pictuf permeability conditions relating to the well. 4-

In a similar Way, the present device may be used to determine the point of entry of an extraneous fluid, such -as brine, into the well.

Thus, assuming that it is not known whether brine enters the well from layer 6i or from layer 63, the well is filled with oil by means of pump y59, and the present device is thereafter moved through the well, the exact point of entry of the brineUoeing determined by coordinating the indications of the depth-meter 5i and indicator 69. In such cases, the openings B in -the upper portion of the housing ii should be closed by h means such as plugs 8 shown inmllighl; Likewise, it may sometimes be desirable to provide the housing ii with an annular member such as a bucket 1i, attached tothe lowerv portion of the housing ii in any suitable manner, as shown at an important part of the present invention. The apparatus of 'ig. is used to control the introduction of a treating acid into a well.

The well 4I is shown in Fig. 6 as containing a tubing string 80, passing through the casing head d3 and provided with a lubricator 8i for the cable supporting, the detector. The tubing 8l) is in communication at the surface with a pipe 83, having a flow meter and a pressure gage 81, whereby acid may be supplied to the tubing Bil from a pump B9. The rest of the elements forming thearrangement of ging. 6 are identical with corresponding elements of Maud are indicated by the same numerals'.

The tubing string 80 has attached thereto at itsvlower end a seating nipple 90, having a lower closure member li and a plurality of perforations S5 just above said closure member. The perforations 9.5 are in communication between the space inside the nipple 9U and the space outside thereof opening to said outside space between the iongit-udinal 4tubes QI-ai, as clearly shown in A plurality of small diameter tubular elements Qi--Bri are welded or otherwise attached to the seating nipple co`longitudinally and outwardly thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig, '7= These tubular elements form iluid passages in communication with the tubing string 8B and seating nipple Sii at points above and below the closure member 9?. l

The detector housing ii is provided, for purposes of operation according to the system of Fig. i 45 mq, with a plurality of cup or packer members 9B w 1 sh'own in'Figg. 5l adapted to fit tightly within thel1 seating niiaie su audio exclude acid fram me lower perforated portion of said detector, as will be described hereinbelow.-

In operating the system oiglig 6 for well acidizing purposes, the well di is filled with oil from pump E9, and the tubing 80 is lowered into the well until the seating nipple is at the level at which it is desired to keep the oil-acid interface. The device ii, with the openings plugged, is positioned in the seating nipple just above the closure member S1. y

i Acid is then delivered to the tubing string Ifrom pump 89,. passing around the closed seating nipple through tubes ill-94 and out into the Well through the lower end of the tubing string. No response is obtained at this time from the detector, as Athe acid does not reach the electrode 2i. being excluded therefrom by the seal packers 9B. When the heavier acid displaces the oil from the bottom of the well, and its rising level reaches the seating nipple 90, the acid passes inside the seating nipple through the openings 95, arranged between the -tubes iii- 912, and inside the housing through openings 25, thus establishing electrical contact between the electrode 2i andthe heusing` ii, andl producing a signal transmitted and indicated at the surface as described hereinabove. Additional oil may then be supplied from pump 59 in order not to permit the acid level to rise any apk a/ fr u i higher, and to force any further amounts of acid which may be added from pump 89 into the lower formations to be treated.

From the above description it will be seen that the present system is capable of producing signais which may be picked up by means such as an ordinary radio receiver, thereby eliminating the necessity of reel commutators and other relatively complicated ldevices necessary for conductiveiy connecting the cable conductor to the indicating devices at the surface. This system is also extremely effective in transmitting signals indicating the presence of an electrolyte in a well, since the intensity of the present electromagnetic signals is not affected to any appreciable degree by the use of long cables, whereas said long cables are known to be subject to leakage eiects, whereby the intensity of ordinary low tension y D. C. or A. C. signals is greatly reduced, and dimculties are experienced in effecting accurate determinations.

at the surface for indicating said high-tension oscillations, and depth meter means at the surface for measuring the depth of said housing in correlation with the indicated oscillations.

3B In a system for determining the characteristcs of a fluid in a well, the combination of an insulated conductor cable, an elongated detector housing adapted to be lowered into a well attached to the lower end of said cable, an electrode carried by the lower portion of the housing and electrically insulated therefrom, al first circuit comprising a source of direct current in the houslng having one terminal connected to the housing and one terminal connected to said electrode, whereby a current is caused to ilow in said circuit when the lower portion of the homing and electrode are immersed in a conductive well fluid,

l a second circuit inductively coupled to the first circuit, means comprising an interrupter in the firstv circuit for producing high-tension electrical oscillations in the second circuit said rst and olin The present detector can be adjusted or caliu; second circuit being contained in said housing, affl L brated to givea signal for any given salinity or connector between the second circuit and the L 'i /ftact with the well uid, means comprising a trically insulated therefrom, means comprising source of current in said housing having its tera source of current in said housing having its minals connected to said electrodes for passing a terminals in circuit with said electrodes for pass'- direct current between said electrodes through ing a current therebetween when said electrodes the iluid surrounding said electrodes, meansin are immersed in an electrolytic uid, means ini'\` Said housing electrically connected to the consaid housing electrically connected to the conductor cable for converting said direct current duetor cable for converting said direct current K, into electrical oscillations, indicator means ininto electrical oscillations, a second elongated i ductvely coupled with the upper end 0f the cable housing axially spaced from Said first housing, at the Surface fol indicating said oscillations, and said second housing forming a, third electrode, a, depth meter means at the surface for measuring fourth electrode carried by said second housingsi* the depth of said housing in correlation with the and electrically insuiated therefrom,Y means com- X, indicated oscillations. 55 prising a source of current in said second housingc,) E `cr/"ln a system for determining the Charaeterhaving its terminals in circuit with the third and te; istics of a fluid ina well, the combination of an fourth electrodes for passing a current there: "in insulated conductor Cable, a detector housing between when said electrodes are immersed in adapted to be lowered into a well attached to the an eleetmlyue fluid, means in Said second housing f lower end 0f Said Cable, WO electrodes' insulated 60 electrically connected to the conductor cable for i from each other carried by Said housing in C011- converting the direct current passing between the Iaf tact with the well duid, primary circuit means third and fourth electrodes into electrical oscilcomprisine a source 0f current in said housing lations, the oscillations traveliing in the cable having its terminals connected to said electrodes from each of said detectors reacting with each for passing a direct current between said elecother to modify the character of the signal ar trodes through the iluid surrounding said elecrivlng to the surface, indicator means inductively trodes. secondary circuit means inductively coupled with the upper end of the cable at the coupled to the rst circuit means and electrically surface for indicating said signal and depth meter connected to the conductor cable, means for promeans at the surface for measuring the depth of ducing high-tension electrical oscillations in the said detector unit in correlation with the indisecondary circuit means, said means comprising cated oscillations. an interrupter in the primary circuit means said f? In a system for measuringv the level of an primary and secondary circuit means being conelectrically conductive uid in a. well, the combitained within said housing, indicator means innation of a tubing4 string extending into the well, ductively coupled with the upper end of the cable a. tubular seating xiiber attached to the lower conductor cable carried by the upper-portion of the housing and electrically insulated therefrom,

said connector being exposed to the well iiuid, whereby said second circuit is short circuited when the upper portion of the housing is immersed in a conductive well fluid, indicator means inductively coupled to the upper end of the cable y for indicating the high-tension oscillations pass- ,nl-In a system for determining the characteristics of a fluid in a well, the combination of an insulatedjconductor cable, a detector housing ing to the cable from the second circuit, and depth meter means at the surface for measuring the depth of said housing in correlation with the indicated oscillations.

@11n a system for determining the characteristics of a uid in a weil, the combination of an insulated conductor cable, a detector unit adapted to be lowered into a well attached to the lower end of said cable. said unit comprising a. rst elongated housing forming a rst electrode, va second electrode carried by said housing and elecasuma end 0f said String. a tra,risas,agarransegment in said seating membex''rluld passage means extending co-longitudinally with and outwardly of said seating member in communication therewith above and below said closing element, per; iorations through the walls of said seating mem- 'b'-abjve said closing element in communication between the space inside said seating member and the space outside' said seating member and said uid passage means. a detector housing adapted to be positioned within said seating membex' with its lower end adjacent said closing memsaid electrodes and the uid surrounding said electrodes, means for convertiggsaid current into electrical oscil't'i. an insulated conductogp cable extending to the surface and having its P,"lwend attached to saidhousing for lowering ber and its upper end below the upper end of said uid passage means, a packer member outwardly carried by said housing adapted to seal the annular Aspace between the housing and the walls of the seating'member above the perox'ations therethrough 'when said housing is positioned in said seating member, wg electilwdgsu insulated from each other carried by said housing. said electrodes being exposed to the iluid Vwithin said seating member below vsaid packer when said housing is positioned in said seating member, means comprising a source of current in said "housing having itsterxljsonnected to said electrodes bfor passing a direct current between Y. -g

the housing into the tubing string, said cable be. ing electrically connected to said converting means, iduicator 4 !ifgrnd inductively coupled to the upper end of the cable for indicating oscillations transmitted to said cable by said converting means, and depth meter meansA at the surface for measuring the depth of'id housing in correlation with the indicated oscillations.

BENSON M.- KINGSTON.

MARK H. MCKINBEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

